Harvard Square

• Upstairs on the Square serves dependable food in an opulently whimsical setting. It can be rented for special occasions and also has afternoon tea service.
• Harvest is a quiet, tucked away restaurant on Brattle Street where you can enjoy a prix fixe brunch outside.
• Grafton Street Pub and Grill a Harvard Square institutution that serves contemporary american cuisine for lunch and dinner 
• Henrietta's Table serves new American food and a generous brunch.
• Legal Seafood is a famous Boston institution and has an outpost at the Charles Hotel.
• Border Cafe serves great margaritas with chips and salsa but serves only mediocre entrees.
• Tamarind Bay serves New Indian food in a romantic setting while the Bombay Club serves all you can eat Sunday brunch.
• Burdick serves delicious if expensive hot chocolate and treats. Finale is known for its chocolate molten cake and fun drinks.
• Mr and Mrs. Bartley's Burgers is a fun restaurant with juicy burgers and yummy frappes.

Porter Square

• Porter Exchange is home to many Japanese restaurants, including Blue Fin Sushi. The small food stalls are the most interesting, with Cafe Mami being the most popular. There are bubble tea and crepe stalls and a Japanese supermarket where you can buy everything from frozen gyoza to Japanese sweets.
• Elephant Walk on Mass. Ave. serves French/Cambodian food.

Mass Ave. between Harvard and Porter Squares

• Chez Henri - French Cuban fusion
• West Side Lounge - lounge/bistro
• Forest Cafe - authentic Mexican (no tex-mex here
• Temple Bar- neighborhood American bistro
• Chang Sho - good Chinese
• Boca Grande - good, cheap burritos, etc.

Central Square

Lots of interesting restaurants in this lively area:

• Rendezvous - New upscale restaurant with French/Italian/Carribean food. Great food and drink menu. 
• Cuchi-Cuchi - Mediterrean Tapas. The decor and eccentric servers are worth the visit.
• Central Kitchen - Lots of well prepared meat, good wines.
• Picante - Tasty take-out or eat-in Mexican.
• Mary Chung - Many MIT students swear by this Chinese restaurant.
• Bertucci's - Affordable Italian, great red sauce, fresh rolls, kids menu, families welcome.
• Toscannini's - It may the worlds best ice cream.  Many original flavors .

Inman Square

• Magnolia's serves delicious Southern cuisine, such as baby back ribs and gumbo.
• 1369 Coffee House is the anti-Starbucks.
• Punjabi Dhabi serves homestyle Indian food cafeteria style in sparse, spartan surroundings while Bollywood music plays loudly in the background.
• East Coast Grill is popular for its brunches and grilled food.
• The S&S is great for brunch
• Christina's rivals Toscannini's as the best ice cream in Cambridge.  It also has many original flavors.